KOPP chapter 6 Gas-Liquids and Fluid Dynamics – Key Vocabulary

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering gases, liquids, humidity, diffusion, solubility, and fundamental gas and fluid dynamics laws as presented in the notes.

Gases

A state of matter with no fixed shape or volume; highly compressible and capable of flow.

Kelvin (K)

Absolute temperature scale used in the SI system; 0 K is absolute zero.

Celsius (°C)

Temperature scale with 0°C as the freezing point and 100°C as the boiling point of water at 1 atm.

Fahrenheit (°F)

Temperature scale commonly used in the U.S.; 32°F is freezing point and 212°F is boiling point at 1 atm.

Conduction

Heat transfer through direct contact or a medium due to a temperature difference.

Convection

Heat transfer by movement of a fluid caused by density differences.

Radiation

Heat transfer by electromagnetic waves without requiring a medium.

Evaporation

Vaporization from a liquid surface below its boiling point; heat is drawn from surroundings.

Liquid pressure

Pressure in a liquid depends on depth (height) and weight density.

Buoyant force

Upward force exerted by a fluid on a submerged object due to pressure differences with depth.

Viscosity

Internal resistance of a liquid to flow.

Capillary action

Movement of liquid in narrow tubes due to adhesion and cohesion.

Surface tension

Cohesive forces at a liquid surface that create a 'skin' and resist external forces.

Laplace pressure

Pressure difference across a curved liquid surface due to surface tension; increases with surface tension and decreases with radius.

Vaporization

Phase change from liquid to vapor; includes boiling or evaporation.

Boiling

Vaporization that occurs throughout the liquid at its boiling point.

Evaporation (surface vaporization)

Vaporization at the surface below the boiling point; can cool the surroundings.

Condensation

Gas turning into liquid; releases latent heat, warming the surroundings.

Cooling by evaporation

Evaporation absorbs heat from the surroundings, causing cooling.

Warming by condensation

Condensation releases latent heat to the surroundings, warming.

Absolute humidity

Actual amount of water vapor present in a given volume of air.

Relative humidity

RH = actual water vapor content divided by the saturated capacity; cooling raises RH, warming lowers RH.

Saturated water vapor capacity

Maximum amount of water vapor air can hold at a given temperature.

Capacity of air to hold water vapor with temperature

The ability of air to hold water vapor increases as temperature rises.

Rate of diffusion (gas)

Rate at which gas molecules spread; inversely proportional to molecular weight.

Partial pressure

Pressure contributed by a single gas in a mixture; total equals the sum of partial pressures (Dalton's law).

Dalton's law

In a mixture of non-reacting gases, total pressure is the sum of the partial pressures.

Solubility coefficient

Proportionality constant relating the amount of gas dissolved to its partial pressure.

Henry's Law (gas solubility)

Gas solubility in a liquid is proportional to its partial pressure; solubility decreases with increasing temperature.

Boyle's Law

At constant temperature, pressure is inversely proportional to volume (P ∝ 1/V).

Charles' Law

At constant pressure, volume is directly proportional to absolute temperature (V ∝ T).

Gay-Lussac's Law

At constant volume, pressure is directly proportional to absolute temperature (P ∝ T).

Bernoulli's principle

Increase in flow speed leads to a decrease in downstream pressure in a moving fluid.

Venturi effect

Pressure drop that occurs when a fluid flows through a constricted section; an application of Bernoulli's principle.

Poiseuille's law

For laminar flow in a tube, pressure difference relates to flow rate, viscosity, and tube radius.

Laminar flow

Smooth, orderly fluid flow with predictable velocity profiles.

Coanda effect

Jet tendency to attach to a nearby surface due to entrainment and negative pressure near the surface.